


Capturing A Writer

by The_Author_Whovian



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Romance, Swan-Mills Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-02-20 05:28:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13140012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Author_Whovian/pseuds/The_Author_Whovian
Summary: As an aspiring author, Emma Swan has desperately picked up jobs where she can get ideas. Those jobs though, also help her to raise Henry Swan. Now she has a chance to publish what she hopes is a best seller through Wonderland Publishing Inc.Regina Mills is the owner of Evil Heart's Detective services. They usually are in private contact with only the richest of the rich. By her mother's request, of course. She detests the fact that her mother is asking her a personal favor about a new writer, but as she meets with Emma, her feelings grow more complicated.Emma Swan is a woman with a dark secret, darker than most. Its taken her and Henry all of his 12 year old life to escape from the clutches of Mr. Gold. Their psychotic grandfather.Pressed between love and her mother, can Regina do the right thing? Can Emma open up and finally stop running?





	1. Meeting the Swans

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer! None of the characters, or references are mine. I do not own anything from OUAT or any of the other books, tv shows, etc. mentioned.

With the month of November quickly approaching, a chill had settled in the air. It caused wardrobe changes for everyone and Emma Swan had been no different. Weeks before she would have been wearing tank tops with a light jacket, but now she had decided to sport a few thin sweaters and her leather jacket. She still wore her tight skinny jeans and had gone from thin to thick heeled shoes. She sucked in a breath as the frigid wind struggled to knock her down. Moments later, the blonde walked through the door of her townhouse and shouted to the 12-year-old boy that should be home.

“Henry! I've got Groceries!” She heard the pitter patter of his feet and soon the boy was seen coming down the stairs. He welcomed her with a quick hug before helping her get the groceries into the kitchen. Emma kicked the door shut and quickly locked it before heading to where the boy stood. They settled into their weekly routine. Henry would open the door to the fridge first, calling out what should have been bought. If it had been on the list, then he would see it flying at him. As usual, they started with orange juice.

“You remembered the good kind!” Henry said with awe and he happily put the morning drink into its proper place.

“One-time kid, One time.” Emma huffed slightly before returning to the bags. 

“Milk next?” He asked and turned towards Emma. She took out the gallon and tossed it over to him before removing more groceries from the bags. It would take them about 20 minutes at the most to do the routine, but it worked, and they had fun when it came to the non-breakable stuff. After a while, the two settled down to eat some left-over crock pot dinner that Belle had made them earlier in the week. The two had gone through the usual conversation about their day and made plans for the next one. It was a simple routine and they stuck to it well. Henry looked over at the calendar, his eyes instantly looking towards this upcoming Friday. He then turned back to his mother with a slight grin, their traditions were what helped them not only stay close, but every one of them were packed with fun things. Henry cleared his throat, waiting for Emma to look up at him.  
“What’s up?” she said before taking a sip of her soda.

“This Friday is the 13th…” Henry watched a sly smile grow on the blonde before she set her drink down and mischievously looked towards the wall where the calendar hung. It was true, Emma mused, and they could do something more than movies this year, seeing as how her new job had given them more money to have fun. Her thoughts of fun however were stopped short at the trip to Maine she would have to take tomorrow. She had no idea how long the trip would take to the sleepy town of Storybrooke, but she and Henry had planned for him to come with Belle on Saturday, they would meet up a few miles outside of town and then Belle would head off to meet her girlfriend whilst she and Henry explored the new place.

“Maybe you and Belle can watch some movies. Besides, if everything goes well, you know what happens this weekend.” She watched Henry’s face light up after the mentioning. The boy went back to his previous activities whilst Emma began to fiddle with her glass.   
In truth, the blonde felt a bit sad that she had to leave, but the offering that Wonderland Publishing had given her for the manuscript would be enough for them to move into a better townhouse and finally get some more stable environment needs checked off.   
She looked to where the lurking X stood at the bottom of the month, the day when she would need to prove that she could take care of Henry to the social workers. The knot in her stomach clenched, it was going to be the last one ever. Gold had no more actions to take after this, and she had to make sure everything was perfect by then.   
As the two finished up the dishes and packed their backpacks for the next day, Emma was calling out to Henry what he would need for his meeting with his teacher tomorrow. The young brunet carefully tucked in his favorite story book to show as well. Emma smirked and focused on her duffel bag. After their packing was done, they both sat Indian-style on the couch with a textbook in hand and a pen in the other. Emma took off her glasses and focused on the words in front of her. The blonde needed to focus on her college work as much as possible, she just hoped that she could graduate and be accepted into a job that would pay enough money to finally allow them to settle down into one Home.   
She considered herself lucky, she thought as she looked over to Henry and smiled at him as he scribbled out an answer. He furrowed his brows and slightly stuck his tongue out of his mouth before brightening with the pride of knowing an answer. Emma returned to her own school work. After a couple hours of studying, Henry and Emma watched an episode of Friends to ease the load before heading off to bed. The blonde’s thoughts kept returning to the feeling of being lucky that she gained custody of Henry. It was the subtle moments when she would turn to see Henry snort and then laugh, clutching his stomach as tears squeezed out of his eyes. It was the way that she could hear him trying to stifle a laugh a few moments later. It was the moments when his eyes widened in awe at yet another commercial that captivated his interest.  
That night, after Henry had drifted off to bed, Emma sat on her own. She was currently absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of her tank top as she looked at the suitcase across the way sitting on an old chair. She sighed and then looked to her mirror, eyeing the itinerary for the hotel and the various emails that had passed between her and a very well-known Cora Mills. In truth, the blonde's stomach was in a knot and she could feel that sleep would not come easily tonight. In a rush of frustration, the blonde stood up and began to pace the room, she passed by a large box in the corner and kicked it. She had still refused to unpack it, wanting it to be ready in case they had to move again. It was only when the blonde heard a clatter, that she looked at the picture that had fallen out of it’s temporary home. Emma smiled as she sat on her bed with the picture now in hand. It was a family of four, the blonde and the young brunet were wrapped in a hug. They wore happy smiles as if they were sharing a laugh, but those two were not what was making the blonde smile sadly as she willed the tears to throw away. It was the two that were hugging them were what held the blonde's attention. An older man, slightly taller than Emma with the same striking green eyes smiled brilliantly at the camera. A pixie haired brunette was laughing and scuffling Emma's hair as she was shifted from a hug to what would eventually become a race. The four had been at a family weekend in the quaint hometown near Storybrook, Maine. She couldn't remember the actual name in her tired state, but she had seen that it was close to where she would be going tomorrow. Emma's eyes closed as she laid down on her back, willing the memories of that fun weekend to come back in her dreams. Without realizing, her wishes became her dreams and Emma Swan lay on her bed without a tense muscle.


	2. Regina Mills

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer in chapter 1

Regina Mills sat on the edge of her bed, looking down at a small piece of paper that was in her hands. She scoffed and crumpled the paper up before tossing it in the trash. The paper was a fax from her mother, with only two words on it, Emma Swan. Regina hated that her mother thought she could work for her. The woman wouldn’t pay the company and Regina ended up wasting the company resources and money, but she had to answer to her mother’s wishes because, according to Cora Mills, family trumps all. Even though the brunette still lived in Storybrook where her mother’s company HQ resided, her job had left Regina traveling all around both Maine and New York. Regina felt the pride swell in her as she remembered how she had created her company and worked so hard to get where she was now. The woman stood and looked at the clock, noticing that her lunch break was almost over. She walked back to her company building and slipped into her office. Many of her co-workers had been sent home.  This week, seemed to have a lull in her customers and for once, she was grateful.

She moaned slightly as she slipped out of her heels and massaged her feet. She walked over to her desk and looked through the rest of the files, crossing the T’s and dotting her I’s. She enjoyed the meticulous task because it allowed her to organize her business without fear that something would come missing should it be needed down the line. She tucked her hair behind her ear and hummed gently as she read through the latest case, a nasty one where her closest friend, Kathryn, had almost been shot. The blonde had recovered quickly and asked for another case, but Regina had noticed that her request was more of a paperwork case rather than a field case. After a few moments of reading through the case, Regina hastily put the case away and poured herself a fair amount of apple cider. A couple of hours had passed. It was almost discouraging to the brunette. _Almost._

She leaned back in her chair, clutching the cider. Regina began to muse over her current situation, she had been assisting the highest class that both Maine and New York had to offer. Her mother had demanded that if she continue with the foolish private eye business, she at least attend to only the best. To her mother, she was in the business of getting pictures of the cheating husbands. That was wrong, but her mother needn’t know the full details of her company’s abilities. She was sure Cora would find a way to demand improper use of them. Cora also had a standard, anyone who was, unable to produce a hefty sum for her daughter, was not worth Regina’s time or effort. So, she had obeyed. Her prices had gone up and her quality had reflected the price. People liked her, she would get the job done and her reports would hide absolutely nothing.

Her investigators that she hired had the same expectations and they were the only ones she would trust with her reputation. They would often call her the Queen of the Evil Heart’s company. Clients liked the fear the brunette woman could instill in their enemy’s bones. The nickname Evil Queen became what every enemy knew her as. She, would joke right back to her co-workers that the criminals should cower as peasants and wait for her to crush their precious hearts.

The woman returned to her paperwork, not daring to look at the dreaded clock again. She focused only on filling out the reports of her latest case. She had gone undercover to figure out where money was leaking out of some fancy company’s bank accounts. The brunette was proud of herself for finding the idiot within the first week. Of course, she had let it go on longer to determine if he had help or anyone else that was following his footsteps.

Regina looked at the time, noticing that she had an hour to get ready before her weekly dinner with her older sister. Regina stood up from her desk, finally putting a stop on her work and walking over to the walk-in closet where there was a clear separation between work clothes and her regular clothes. There were even a few sections for the extreme casuals, though they were quite small. Regina settled on a sleek black dress and a clutch to match. She quickly grabbed a white blazer to fend off the chilly wind before walking to the hidden Italian restaurant right next to Marco and August’s wood shop. She immediately sat down at her usual table and glanced at the menu, wondering if it had changed since her last visit.  As she waited for her sister to show up at their usual table for dinner, Regina had picked out a wine and ordered appetizers. The brunette had just taken a bite of bread when she felt her phone buzz silently in her lap.

She deflated slightly as she read the text from her mother. It seems that the woman still wanted the official file for this Swan person. The brunette stowed her phone away. She shook her head and calmed her temper, knowing yelling at the phone was a bad idea. She heard the clicking heels that only her sister would wear. As she looked up, she saw Zelena open her arms inviting her in a hug. The two shared a quick hug before they sat down, Zelena happily complementing choice of wine and food. They began with family stuff, love life, and personal fun life. The conversation was light hearted and Zelena, the woman who would soon take over for their mother in Wonderland Inc. had made sure that Regina was completely comfortable and well into her meal before asking a huge question that was needed.

“Reg..” she began, ignoring the glare at the use of a childhood nickname. “I know you are busy at your P.I business, but I want you to come with me tomorrow to a meeting.”

She looked shyly at her fork, wondering if she could pull this off. Mother and she had been wondering if they should expand their business to add more writers and as a result, they had brought on this Emma person. Zelena could only assume that Regina wouldn’t stay for any part of the meeting. The redhead looked up as she heard the brunette shift and exhale in a stressful manner.

“No, I will not use my company skills just so that you and mother can assure that this Emma Swan person fits your societal expectations! As for tomorrow’s meeting, I will be there. It is the monthly family meeting after all.” Regina stated, wiping her mouth with the napkin before sipping her wine.

Regina leaned back into her chair and grinned to herself at the shocked look on Zelena’s face. Standing up to Cora was the hardest thing to survive, yet Regina found herself feeling more empowered that she was doing well so far. The brunette sipped her wine, eyeing her sister through the glass.

“You remembered her name?” Zelena questioned, finally wiping off the shocked look from her face. Regina froze. She usually didn’t remember the client names that her mother would ask about. Regina had lost interest in these pesky writers, mostly because they had come from squeaky clean families. Why had she remembered Emma’s name? Regina quickly pulled on a mask of indifference, she quickly swallowed her wine and set down the glass before huffing.

“Maybe I had mother pestering me moments before heading over here.” Regina defended in a partially truthful matter. Zelena scoffed and rolled her eyes. The redhead quickly changed the topic to her husband Robin and their daughter. Regina happily let the topic change. They went back to a safe ground for the two.

The bill had come long ago and the two had been talking nonstop about unimportant things, finally though, Regina had opted to leave and head home for the night. She hugged her sister and bade her farewell before walking out the restaurant.

Zelena had given the brunette a quick hug before driving back home in her family van. Regina, however had decided to walk the night off and headed towards her lonely mansion. She watched as the latest crowd of drunks exited the Rabbit Hole and smirked as she saw the town Sheriff monitor them. The brunette made quick work of getting to her home and locking the door.

Immediately, Regina pulled out her phone and called her closest friend, Kathryn. “Kathryn, how are you?” she asked as soon as a groggy hello had come through the phone.

“I was asleep Reg. What are you doing up so late?” Kathryn asked as she rubbed her face and sat up, looking at the clock which now said 11:45pm.

“I just got home from my dinner with Zelena.” Regina quietly responded as she padded carefully across the hallway to where her kitchen would surely await.

“Well that’s all fine and dandy, remind me again why this can’t wait until I’m actually up and processing this?” Regina knew that Kathryn would not actually snap at her, but it was close to it. The brunette huffed as she took off her heels and thought through what she was going to say. Truth be told, Regina didn’t have a plan when she called Kathryn. She simply wanted to hear the blonde’s voice before the meeting tomorrow. Even that was a feeble attempt, she knew Kathryn had to go to work tomorrow and would surely be up around the same time that she would. She still wanted to talk about the newest mystery her mother presented her with. It was troubling her, to say the least, and she had no idea how to deal with it. With a slight shake to her head, she sighed and forced out a light tone in her voice;

“You’re right Kat, I’ll call you tomorrow morning. Sleep well.”

The blonde mumbled something before the call ended. As Regina got ready for bed that night, she felt a churn in her stomach, an ache in her bones, and the hairs on her neck rise slightly. Something was on the horizon, something big was going to happen… she could just feel it. Then a new email chimed from her computer. Regina padded her way over to the laptop and sighed in dread. Her mother wanted her to do an undercover assignment on the Swan woman, and it was twice the money she usually offered. The offer was too good to pass up, and Regina would have to reply in the affirmative in the morning. For now, Regina decided to power the computer down, finally allowing complete darkness to wash over her room. She laid back down in her silk pajamas and closed her eyes. Regina had fallen asleep with tense muscles and racing mind.


	3. Roni

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma takes the fateful drive up to Storybrook. What happens on her first day?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note! I use the persona of Roni in this chapter and will continue to do so. Roni is Regina. Whenever there is an action being described by Roni, it is through Emma's POV. Any questions you can comment and ask!

It was barely day. Hell, the sun wasn’t even up yet, but Emma found herself in her vintage VW bug driving along the highway all alone. She was headed towards what could be the biggest meeting of their life. The blonde clutched the steering wheel tightly as she focused on the white stripes on the black pavement. The blonde’s eyes fluttered slightly, and she knew that her car was not the only one that needed gas. The woman spotted a gas station exit and quickly changed lanes. Emma pulled into the lonely gas station and began to pump gas into the yellow bug. She leaned against the hood of the car, absentmindedly running her fingers over the hilt of her pistol in its holster. As she waited for the car to fill up, her mind flashed back to earlier in the morning.

* * *

Emma pulled her hair into a quick ponytail, she straightened her jacket and sighed, clearing a speck of dirt form her glasses before returning them to her face. She looked at herself in the mirror, the faint lines of her scars showed on her jaw and neck. It was the only hint of a horrifying past. Just thinking back to when she was 18. Henry was only a baby then. She strayed back to that one fateful night, but only for a second. The blonde shook her head of the thoughts. She picked up her duffle bag and her folder of important documents and manuscript. She walked to the front door, and turned around as Henry’s shuffled steps came closer to her.

“You’ll be back within a week? I’m coming with you this weekend, right?” He asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His voice which had usually been firm and filled with assurance held such vulnerability that Emma felt a lump in her throat. She swallowed it down and wrapped Henry in a hug.

“Of course, kid. I will always come back to you.” She smiled at him before ruffling his bed head. She had known it would always be true. It had been true since the moment Henry was born. Sometimes, she could swear that Henry was older than his age, and sometimes, it shocked her. 

“I’m sorry I can’t be there for the match this week Kid.” Emma whispered as she crouched down to hug him. She felt Henry stiffen and sigh,

“Do I have to go?” Emma frowned. He had been looking forward to the match all month. They both had… something was wrong with him, she could tell.

“Henry…” she sighed, wondering how to approach it, but before she had the chance to ask him, the young brunet pushed himself away, he quickly flashed her a smile before running back to his room.

Belle walked out of the kitchen clutching a mug of coffee to her chest. She looked to where the blonde stood and to where the brunet had disappeared to.

“What was that about?” She asked, sipping the hot liquid. Emma shook her head and sighed,

“I don’t know Belle…”

Henry ran out clutching a binder that held the two’s most precious creation. To anyone else, the story was just something that the two had written, but to the two Swans, it was _their_ story. He opened the duffel bag and stuffed it in and quickly zipped it back up.

“In case you get bored” Henry happily stated. The blonde gave a teary smile, knowing how much it meant to let it out of his sight. Emma grabbed her stuff and gave Henry one last kiss on the head before walking out to the car. Once she left, Henry returned to his room to continue sleeping as Belle sat down on the couch, returning to her novel that she had began reading when she first awoke.

* * *

Emma sipped from her coffee cup as she returned to her car. She sat in the car, starting it up and getting back on the highway. The silence happily welcomed the blonde’s thoughts as she imagined what she would be doing if she had just stayed home. Sleep! She chuckled. She would be sleeping right now, but only just. If she was being honest, she would be returning to sleep about now, waiting for the nightmares to fade away.

In her nightmares, she was always watching Henry get hurt. She always seemed to fail at protecting the boy and often, it was all at the hands of Gold. Emma’s hands tightened around the wheel, the thought of the impish man made her stomach turn. Gold had been fighting Emma on custody for Henry since the day her parents died. He had tried to make her seem like a depressed and dysfunctional woman with no proper abilities to take care of a boy. Emma had dodged every attempt. She smirked remembering the last time that the social worker stated his approval of her custody. Gold had looked more furious than she had ever seen him. He was running out of options.

Emma made a lane change and sighed. Those nightmares didn’t stop at making her feel like a failure. At least in real life she had a chance to keep him safe. The pink sky pushed the thoughts away from her and she began to look for the proper off ramp. She turned up the radio and began to sing along to the well-known classic Eagles songs that drifted from the speakers.

* * *

Regina Mills woke up to her alarm and immediately she sat up and walked to her closet. She ignored the head rush and grabbed her running outfit, the pink glow that came into her room from the window allowed her to judge how long she would have to run this morning. She was proud of her ability to be on the streets 10 minutes later, pushing her feet on the ground, running with a quicker pace than usual. It was the only thing that had stayed relatively the same all throughout her life. She would wake up right before the sunrise and run to her favorite place in the forest to watch it rise the rest of the way before running back home. Nowadays, however, she would run there as the sun was rising and bring a coffee and her paperwork to her spot.

As the Sun rose she would drink the coffee and read through whatever she had brought. It was peaceful and quiet. God, she loved the quiet mornings when no one else was here. This morning, she had brought her coffee and reluctantly brought her tablet.  The brunette had decided to search some social media sites for this Emma Swan woman. She knew that it was crazy to bring her tablet, but she still needed to stick to her schedule.

The brunette jogged through the back streets of her small town, avoiding talking to her neighbors. She clutched her coffee as she quickly jumped over a stray box. Her tablet thumped in her hoodie as she landed, and she made a mental note to avoid this street when she came back.

She cleared her throat as she walked close to the troll bridge, hoping that no one was there. It was a popular spot for the locals and all too often, she would find Ruby and the idiots passed out on the weekend mornings. Even though it was only Tuesday, Regina had heard rumors of a party last night and she still had to be careful. She hated the awkwardness of catching people who hooked up because often they would question if she joined them.

Regina smiled as she saw the place was empty, she sat on the old tree stump, that had been smoothed out when she was younger. It was hidden from the view of the bridge and unless someone blindly came down underneath the bridge, she wouldn’t be seen. It was perfect to see the sunrise and not have to worry about anything. She finally took a sip of her coffee.

She pulled out her tablet and pulled up Facebook. She typed Emma’s name in the search box and found three different women. One was an English woman who had just graduated Bart’s. This woman was a brunette that was happy to go into a medic profession. Regina shook her head and went back to the other two women. The second was a redhead who was in Australia for a trip.  That would not fit with what her mother was asking. The third was an African American woman who preferred working on cars to forming actual sentences. Regina sighed. The search on one form of media had come up empty. She kept looking through several layers of social media, not finding anything on an Emma Swan.

It was only when the birds stopped singing and cars started humming that she stood up. She knew that she had delayed her stay here long enough. The brunette stretched before stuffing her tablet in her hoodie. Regina began her run back. She decided to take a quick shower and change for the day. Her day was going to be fun, she had a quick video call as Roni that she had to make and her friends down at the Rabbit Hole were going to help her set up.

At home, she stepped into the shower and allowed the warm water to cascade over her. She closed her eyes as she ran her hands through her hair, hoping to get in the mindset of Roni. The character she was going to play today to get closer to the actual perpetrator of her clients. The water became cold and Regina quickly stepped out. She dried herself off before deciding on ripped black skinny jeans, a grey T-shirt and a black leather jacket. The brunette pulled her hair into a clean pony tail and headed towards Granny’s. She tried to think about Roni, but her mind kept straying to the name she had spent all morning searching for. _Just who was she?_

Regina’s thoughts were stopped only when she had seen a yellow VW bug parked in front of Granny’s. The brunette walked in cautiously, trying to catch a glimpse of the owner, she had a feeling that the owner was not from this town. As she ordered her breakfast, Regina couldn’t suppress the disappointment and uncomfortable feelings that had begun growing. Granny had told the brunette that Red was currently doing runs for the hotel above them. Regina had nodded and began to eat her breakfast in silence, lost deep in thought.

* * *

The blonde dressed in her white long-sleeved shirt and draped her old red leather jacket over it, she hummed slightly as she pulled her hair out of her pony tail and let the wavy hair come cascading down. She stood back and looked in the mirror of her hotel room, debating on whether she should wear glasses or wear contacts. With a final push towards wearing her contacts, Emma finished getting ready. She clenched her right hand to calm her nerves. Instantly a flashback wracked her brain.

_“Dearie, do stop shaking your right hand. It’s pathetic, and you must stand strong for Henry. What would he think if he saw you shaking at every little adult moment?”_

She shuddered at the thought of Gold telling her about her nervous tick. It was a habit she had picked up from the age of three and it was the only tell she had. Gold’s sneer left her mind as she walked downstairs to the diner. As she entered the place, her eyes immediately fell on the hidden jukebox in the back of the room as the soft sounds of “Cry Me a River” drifted in the air. There weren’t many people in the diner now, and most were too absorbed in a conversation or a sleepy morning start to notice the blonde’s appearance.

The blonde gave a small sigh of relief before crossing the room and choosing a booth furthest from the other customers. She watched the people who were talking with interest, realizing how they seemed to know just about everyone. It must have been one of the side effects of living in a small town like this.

Her eyes then wondered over the people at the counter, resting on a short haired brunette woman. This woman seemed to be wearing a casual grey t-shirt with a black leather jacket draping over it. She wore simple black jeans and converse. Even though this brunette had worn nothing special, she still had this air of being a queen about her. Emma leaned forward a bit, watching the brunette converse with Granny whom she had met earlier. The two were animatedly talking about some type of food. The brunette had just made a shaking motion with her hand, (Emma quickly the brunette was using her right) when Granny shook her head. This caused the brunette to laugh, the sound traveling into the waiting ears of Emma Swan. Granny looked over to where Emma sat and held up a finger to the brunette before walking over to take the blonde’s breakfast order.

* * *

Regina had been happily discussing Lasagna recipes with Granny before the older woman had to take care of a customer. As she sat in her seat, looking at her now empty plate, Regina began to think about the rest of her day. She sipped on her apple cider and smiled over to where Granny now stood. Granny had returned behind the counter to make a drink and give the food order to the chef. As Granny walked over, making a hot chocolate for the customer, she muttered in a low tone;

“Have you seen the newest person in town?” Regina chuckled slightly because, true to her word, the Lucas family was the first to spread gossip for Storybrooke. It was always either Granny or her granddaughter, Ruby. She then shook her head before finishing off her apple cider. The brunette let out a relaxed sigh before shaking her head,

“No, but mother will no doubt be requesting information on them soon.” Regina said with a knowing look at Granny promising some facts for the older woman. The two shared a smile. She looked up at the clock and frowned, noticing that she had more time to wait until she had to leave. The brunette then turned her head over her shoulder, watching as Granny took the breakfast meal to the visitor. Regina’s breath stopped, and she was confronted with two _Very emerald_ green eyes.  She blushed and looked down at her plate, hoping that the stranger wouldn’t find her rude.

* * *

_She just looked at me._ Emma’s mind was screaming and for some reason, she wanted to get to know this woman. Without even a second thought, the blonde ordered an Apple cider for the brunette and asked Granny if she could deliver it to the brunette. Emma watched as the beautiful woman accepted the cider. What the blonde did not expect to happen was the brunette standing up and walking over to her table. The woman set the cider down and smiled. Brown eyes stared into green and for a moment they were both lost. Emma cleared her throat and offered her lightly shaking hand as she quickly stood up,

“Hi, I hope you don’t mind me getting you another cider. You seemed to enjoy the first and, where are my manners? I’m Emma Swan. Would you like to sit?”

The blonde took a deep breath, realizing how quick she spoke and how out of breath she felt. The brunette smiled at the blonde and graciously shook the hand.

“I don’t mind, I am Roni. Nice to meet you Em-ma. And thank you.” Regina spoke sincerely as she sat down. In all honesty, the cider _pleasantly_ surprised the brunette. It was cute to see this Swan person fumble over her words as she previously had. Then realization struck her, this was Emma Swan. The Emma Swan.

The blonde smiled awkwardly and cleared her throat. “So, Roni, what do you do for a living?” Emma had no idea how to talk to this woman, but seeing as how she was out of her element, the blonde couldn’t imagine this going any better. The brunette seemed to pick up on it because she chuckled and leaned back, sipping on her cider as if it was a privilege to pass through her lips. Emma’s tongue subconsciously wetted her lips before focusing on the words now coming out.

“I work as a bartender at the Rabbit Hole down here. My boss, Alice seems to think that we are the twisted version of Wonderland.”

There was that beautiful chuckle again and Emma found herself enjoying the company of Roni. The two found themselves wanting to know each other more, their thirst for knowledge on the other increased with each smile and remark that was passed between them. Regina had looked up first, checking the clock. Her face paled slightly. She was going to be late, and she _desperately_ needed to be on time. Emma noticed and glanced at the clock. Had they really been talking for the better part of an hour? As Regina stood up, mumbling mostly to herself, the blonde frowned. She knew what it was like to be late.

“Need a ride?” Emma pulled out of her chair, giving Granny the money for the breakfast and the drinks before grabbing a hold of her keys. She looked up in time to see the brunette smile thankfully and nod.

“Please,” Regina exhaled and smiled. Emma led Regina to her bug and got in. The two raced towards the Rabbit Hole several streets down. Regina gripped the handle on the door, internally cringing at the death trap she seemed to be caught in. Why had she said yes? A glance at the clock reminded her harshly. There was only going to be ten minutes before the meeting. Ten minutes to cram an _hour’s_ worth of information.

“That’s it! There!” Regina pointed towards the bar where she would have to work and smiled with relief as she was finally able to escape the death trap. She leapt out of the car and leaned over, yelling to the blonde.

“Thank you, Emma! You are a lifesaver.” The blonde blushed as she waved to the brunette. After the exciting morning, Emma decided to sit out for the rest of the time until lunch.

* * *

Regina had started a video call with a man named Mr. Scratch. The man smirked at the brunette and Regina felt herself cower slightly in sight of the man. She cleared her throat and then flashed her most flirtatious smile.

“Mr. Scratch I presume?” She purred, lightly leaning over. She allowed the camera to lightly tease the man before she leaned back, smirking at the sight of the man trying to recover. This man had been conning her client for months now and she had come so close to catching him. She could feel the pressure on her from the clients, as well as the suspicions from him. She was desperately trying for the middle ground. This video call would achieve her wishes if she could make it through.

“So, it is true. Roni P. has the sass and the good looks. Let’s see if your skills match” The man leaned back and one of the body guards that had driven to town sat down at the counter. She focused on what she needed to do now.

“Steamed Mushroom, Shrink size.” Regina nodded, smirking to herself. She knew that there was always an air of business to the bartender role, but she couldn’t resist the urge to comment on his choice.

“Having a tough time being so big?” She batted her eyelashes as she mixed together the different liquids. The body guard coughed, and she could hear Mr. Scratch laugh at the situation. She knew that he had enjoyed the bite and found herself becoming bold. She decided to sit on the counter and hand him the drink in an intimate way, willing herself to sell the action as much as possible. She had a tough time imagining that she was anyone else other than Roni at this moment. Of course, she didn’t want to, but deep down, she knew that she was just selling a show to these men. The bar owner looked at the woman in shock. Alice had known Regina and hadn’t seen this side of her come out to play. Of course, the two had not known each other long.

* * *

Emma had found a bench to sit on. She had to weigh her options and she most definitely didn’t want to endure boredom for the rest of the day. The truth was that other than once when she was young, Emma had stayed only in the big cities. The bustle calmed her, and there was always something to do. The furthest she had gotten from the cities was close to a suburb area, but that was only because she and Henry had been eyeing the townhouse for a long time. Truth be told, Emma mused, she wouldn’t have come here until tomorrow had it not been for Cora’s strict instructions to come a day early to see the town.

She watched people mill about on the street, it seemed so natural for them. Emma hissed slightly and drew her jacket closer to her body as the chilly wind began to blow, it stopped a few seconds later and decided she needed help from a professional. Her go to option was always Henry, and she would have loved for him to be here so that they could adventure together. However, he was in school and she had been strict about him focusing on his classes. So, she went to her second choice, Ruby, or as her friends all called her, Red. 

She and Belle had been dating for a few years and Belle had planned to move in as soon as her college days were up. Ruby lived in some small town in god knows where working with her grandmother. Emma dialed the number and held the phone to her ear. If anyone knew what to do in a small town, it would be Ruby. “Hello?” the wolfish voice came over the phone, sounding stressed and hushed.

“Hey Rubes, it’s Emma. You got a free second?” Emma asked nervously, hoping to not hear a rejection that would find the blonde twiddling with her thumbs the rest of the day. Ruby released a quick sigh before the phone was muffled. She heard her friend’s voice once again a few seconds later.

“Let me go outside, What’s up Em?”

“Well, I finally am stuck in a small town with nothing to do… I was asking for your professional small-town help here.” Emma mumbled as she fiddled with the zipper of her jacket. She kept her head down, unsure of why she felt shy to announce it to the street.

“Oh sure!” Ruby said, and Emma heard the doorbell chinking over the phone. She assumed that the woman had walked out the door.

“Thanks,” the blonde let out a chuckle. She sat back, hoping Ruby would talk again, and the silence between the two was growing strangely long.

“Rubes, you there?” Emma asked as she sat up a bit straighter. Then she heard it, a squeal. The squeal had an echo, one electronic echo. Emma’s brows furrowed as she tried to comprehend what she had heard. Suddenly Emma was wrapped in someone’s arms and she couldn’t figure out who! Emma pushed the stranger away and looked up, huffing slightly. She had a scowl on her face and was ready to tell the stranger off. She looked up and paused a second before laughing in shock. There Ruby stood in all her wolfish red glory.

“You came into my town Emma, my town! What the hell?! Why didn’t you tell me?” Ruby exclaimed, gently slapping her friends arm before sitting next to her on the bench. Emma chuckled and shifted to face the lanky woman. The two happily talked and reacquainted themselves. It was fun catching up with each other. Finally, Ruby asked,

“Where is Henry? I would have thought he’d come with you.” Emma shook her head.

“It’s state testing week at his school and I’ll be damned if Gold wins because I took him on a vacation on the one week he needs to be there.” Ruby nodded before lightly patting the blonde’s shoulder. Ruby had been friends with the blonde for a long time. They had met as children and stayed in touch throughout the years. Emma had introduced Belle to Ruby and the woman felt she had a debt to the blonde. The two sat for a moment in silence before Ruby cleared her throat, remembering the tasks she had to do. Emma turned her head and looked at her friend.

“I have to get back to work, but I would recommend you go down to the docks, they have some sort of celebration thing going on down there today and it would be cool to go see.” Ruby smiled and squeezed her shoulder before standing up. Emma nodded and then stood up, helping Ruby before heading down to the docks. The two promised to meet up later for a dinner. With that, Emma started her walk down to the docks, looking for adventure.

* * *

On the other side of town, Regina was celebrating with Alice. Roni had just successfully been hired to work as Mr. Scratch’s personal bartender in New York City. She looked over to where the door was. A gentle knocking sound came, and Regina’s favorite blonde stepped in the bar.

“Hey Reg, how did it go?” She asked. Regina smiled widely and hugged the blonde, handing her a flute of champagne. Kathryn chuckled softly and took a sip from the flute.

“I take it that it went well?”

“Not at all!” Regina retorted sarcastically as she leaned against the counter. She smiled and sipped her beer. In truth, she preferred the top shelf of alcohol, but Roni loved the cheap stuff. Kathryn checked her watch and cleared her throat, getting everyone’s attention.

“Well Reg, if you want to get down to the docks to monitor that celebration, we should probably head out now.” Kathryn’s voice carefully before pausing. She did not want to be one to leave a party, but work always called. Regina nodded, ignoring the childhood nickname, and placed her beer in the trash before picking up her jacket and walking out the door. They decided on walking since it was close by. As the two headed to the docks, Kathryn was telling Regina all about her newest boyfriend. It was some man named Fredrick. He had lived on the outskirts of town and had literally ran into her a week ago on a shift. The two hit it off right away and Regina could see that the blonde had never been happier. For Kathryn’s sake, Regina hoped that Fredrick would be nice and end up being the one.

“So how is your love life? Still nonexistent?” Kathryn asked nonchalantly as they walked past Marco’s wood shop. Regina shook her head and laughed slightly,

“You would be the first to know if my love life was changing. Trust me.” Kathryn smirked at her friend and Regina felt the need to explain more,

“Besides if someone decides to come back at us, I don’t want them in danger.” The two walked in a solemn silence. They sighed quietly.

“Just remember to tell me the PG-13 version, not the R okay?” Kathryn demanded lightly, Regina chuckled before looking at the festivities before them.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we got screwed over by a bunch of pirates holding their rum fest in a gorgeous place.” Kathryn said as she placed a temporary badge on her belt. Regina silently agreed and then started to walk on one edge of the crowd. Regina was still in her outfit and had decided to help undercover. Kathryn immediately walked closest to the water. They strolled about casually, meeting the police force there and offering a silent nod. Storybrook is a small town, any help for the police force on these rowdy days was always appreciated. Regina knew they had other cases to get to and her company was by no means an actual extension of the police, but in this small town they allowed it. They loved the extra help, especially for the ‘pirate’ parties.

* * *

Emma watched the festivities from the safety of her own beer. The woman smirked as a man named Killian began to serenade his fellow sailors. After a few songs of listening to his off-key attempts and high pitches, the local band began to play louder, inviting everyone to start dancing. Emma nodded her head along to the beat of the song as she made her way over to the outskirts of the sailor group. She noticed the other members of the town milling about by all the booths and it occurred to her that Henry would love some trinkets, so without much thought, the blonde began to follow suit of the crowd and started to look at the booths.

The first booth held candles that were being sold by the convent. She bought one from the kind woman and then moved onto the next table. She had ended up buying Henry some old pens and a book about knights before finally heading back to the car. As she reached her bug, her phone vibrated. Emma grinned and answered the phone, knowing exactly who would be on the other line.

“Thank you for calling Swan’s Excellent Saviors. My name is Emma, how can I direct your call?” Her reward was a shriek of laughter that eventually died into giggles.

Ever since Emma had started the custody battle with Gold, Henry had called her his savior. It had become an inside joke to them and it still was her favorite nickname that he called her.

“Emma! How is Storybrooke?” Henry asked after calming down a few moments later.

“It’s boring without you kid, but I think you will like this place.” Emma replied truthfully. The small town had its charms and would be the perfect place for them to live if they could ever stay in one place for longer than a couple months. Then she shuddered, remembering how close she was to her parent’s murder site. It was a few miles outside of the town. A couple hundred feet behind the diner. It forced her to push those thoughts of living here out of her mind. A shame really.

“How are you doing Kid, school going good?” Emma asked before he could truly ask her what was both on their minds.

“Yeah! It was interesting, we had our gym test today.” Henry said with a mock sigh. The two shared a small laugh and Emma could hear Belle call to Henry.

“I gotta go, Belle says it’s time to get ready for the practice match.” Henry paused, “I’ll see you later Emma! Love you.”

“I love you too kid” Emma’s voice softened, and she smiled gently. As the call ended, Emma felt her heart sink with guilt. _She_ was supposed to be there. _Emma_ wanted to cheer Henry on and watch him win. And now, they were hours apart in different states. They were the furthest apart from each other they’ve been since he was born. She hadn’t always given him the richest life, but she fought like hell to make it a good one. _Damnit Swan, don’t cry._ Emma sniffed.

* * *

Regina watched the Swan woman with the death trap from the other side of the party, hidden behind booths of random stuff. The blonde woman seemed to be listening intently, nodding at the phone and laughing in some random parts. The smile on the blonde’s face never leaving until she had hung up. In that moment, the blonde didn’t realize she was being watched, and no one cared to pay attention to the Private investigator.

Emma’s face seemed to droop in tiredness. Her green eyes that had been lit up a mere second ago had been weighed down with sadness and vulnerability. Those green eyes were watching the water with no walls up, nothing but her innermost thoughts. The brunette could have sworn she saw tears pooling at the bottom of those vulnerable eyes. Regina realized that the woman looked one hit away from being completely defeated. Her posture had slouched after the phone call. The device hung in her limp hand. The blonde’s lips were formed in a natural frown. The woman had bags under her eyes and shadows underneath the bags. Unable to imagine the goofy woman from this morning being the same one that she just saw. She couldn’t even imagine anyone one else bearing that feeling. Regina closed her eyes and turned away and went back to monitoring the crowds. Yet the blonde woman haunted her still. So, she turned around to see if the woman had left. Emma hadn’t, and the blonde looked more vulnerable than before if that was possible. Regina couldn’t believe the sight and her heart broke for the blonde. Making up her mind, the brunette took a deep breath before walking over to where the woman stood.

* * *

Emma sighed and threw her jacket in the car. At this point, she was ready to head back to the diner to meet up with Ruby. She hated doing this to Henry. It only made it worse that he adapted so well to what she needed him to do. The blonde cleared her throat and pushed the guilt down to the bottom of her heart. She ignored the fact that her heart seemed to weigh more in response.

“Hey, Emma, right?” Emma turned around to see Roni approaching. She smiled and put her walls back up.

“Yes, and you are Roni. How’d the job shift go?” She asked suspiciously. The woman had been dropped off a couple hours ago. Not even close to the time of a full shift. Roni chuckled and grinned.

“It was as good as it can be seeing as how the bar wasn’t open. I work split shifts. A couple hours in the morning to stock and the rest at night after dinner.” Roni spoke proudly. Emma could see the goosebumps rise on her arms and noticed the chill in the air.

“Do you want to do dinner tonight? This ‘party’” Emma quoted because it was in fact a pirate’s drink fest where one could buy stuff. There was still some sun left, but she didn’t know what else there was to do. “Has lost its appeal.” She finished and leaned back on her car. She watched Roni’s eyes flicker over the car and a grin slowly form on her face.

“Yes, give me one second?” Roni asked. Emma nodded and watched as the brunette walked back to the party quick with purpose.

* * *

Regina quickly walked to where her brother stood. She watched with a sigh as Killian shamelessly flirted with everything that breathed.

“Killian!” She called out sharply. She watched as his blue eyes lazily drift over to her. She grabbed his arm and pulled him close to her, yelling in his ear.

“The keys to your bike! Where are they?” She watched her brother take out the keys and sluggishly try to keep them away from her in a taunt. She easily grabbed them and swatted his shoulder. Regina had suppressed a side of herself, only too happy to let it come out in Roni. Especially if it meant riding her baby. She walked back to Emma, holding the keys in her hand with a mischievous grin.

“Let me show you what a real ride is.” Regina chuckled as she watched the surprise show on Emma’s face. The blonde quickly recovered and locked up her vintage. Regina walked towards her bike, swaying her hips ever so slightly, knowing the effect it could have on the woman behind her. Her ears perked slightly as she heard the gentle intake of breath from the blonde.

“Have you ever ridden an Indian?” Regina purred, really feeling the Roni persona. She turned around to see Emma shake her head.

_Poor idiot._ Regina grinned wolfishly and gestured to where the bike sat in front of them.

Emma’s jaw dropped. She looked at the beauty in front of her and immediately she walked over to the side. She was more of a BMW woman. Still, the bike had beauty in its _flawless vintage_ shape.

“He or she?” Emma asked as she looked up to Roni. She watched Roni slide easily on the seat. The brunette twisted and patted the seat behind her with a wink.

“ _He._ Emma, meet Robin Hood.” She beamed with pride. Watching Emma around Robin showed the brunette that this woman was into bikes.

Emma effortlessly slid onto the bike and wrapped her arms around the brunette. Both women sat still, slowly relaxing to the touch of the other. Emma slowly leaned forward, bringing her mouth to rest next to Regina’s earlobe. The brunette’s breath hitched, and she listened to the words with all her heart.

“Shall we head out?” The blonde watched as Roni nodded and started up the engine. They rolled down the streets of this small town with ease, Emma absolutely loving the feeling of the Indian. They pulled into a different place than Granny’s.

Emma tilted her head slightly and then followed Roni into the high-class bar. It was a step up in class and the blonde immediately saw the appeal. They sat down at the nearest window booth and both quickly scanned the drink menu.

Once their orders were in, Emma leaned back and studied the brunette. Her bail bonds skills kicked in. She could tell the woman was slightly out of her element, as if she hadn’t done this in years. She also saw the air of a regal woman surround her. It was cute, Roni was trying to relax for Emma. She blushed and diverted her eyes before the brunette had a real chance to catch her.

“So, Roni, tell me about yourself. You told me about your nuclear family. When did you get Robin?”

Regina looked at the blonde woman, trying to decipher the reasons for the inquiry. Seeing nothing but pure curiosity, Regina decided to share the story behind it.

“I got it after my Father’s passing.”

_~flashback~_

“Daddy, I don’t want you to go...” the young brunette whispered against her father’s weak body. Everyone knew his weak heart wouldn’t last him the week. Regina had just graduated college and she had moved back to Maine to work for her mom.

 Henry Mills looked at his daughter with pride. It was a defeated pride but one that would stick by her side. He gently ran his hand over her back to assure her. He rubbed his thumb across her cheek and looked in her eyes.

“You will survive this. You and the girls. I know you can do it. Killian on the other hand, will be a mess.” The old man chuckled whilst Regina let out a barking laugh.  Regina sniffed and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her sweater to appear presentable. She smiled painfully and squeezed his hand gently.

“I love you daddy”

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against her father’s chest. She listened to the silence of the room. The two stayed in the position for a few minutes. The only thing alerting Regina that she should look up was the stilled motion of Henry’s chest. She looked up to see him with closed eyes and a gentle smile on his face.

“Daddy?” she croaked. The man didn’t respond. “Daddy!” Regina called out, a little bit louder. Still nothing. Regina stood up and began to shake the man, hoping against all hope that he was just asleep.

“No, no, no, no. Daddy” she screamed when the shaking was obviously failing. Zelena and Cora ran into the room, collapsing at the bedside. Killian ran in shortly after, tearing Regina from him. For moments, the brunette woman allowed herself to seek comfort in her brother. Until suddenly, she felt like she was suffocating. The air was so hard to breathe in. She just _had to get away_. She ran out of the house, and everything was a blur of shapes. The brunette found herself in her father’s garage. He was as fond of Indians as he was horses. She fell to the floor of the garage and pulled her knees in close to her chest. She rested her head on her knees and sobbed silently in the comfort of the garage.

~ _End Flashback~_

Regina smiled sadly at the memory of finding the bike. Its R scratched in the headlight and the handlebars as if it was just waiting for her. Emma smiled and gently took Regina’s hand in hers.

“Well, it’s a lovely bike! I honestly haven’t heard about Indians before today, but I love them”

Emma watched as Roni’s smile went from sad to prideful. The blonde leaned back, sipping her beer that had come minutes earlier. She watched Roni do the same before the brunette asked her first question of the dinner.

“And what about you? Do you have any motorcycles? I find it hard that your vintage bug is the _only_ thing you own.” The two chuckled and Emma feigned offense.

“I’ll have you know, my Bug is wonderful!” She paused and winked before turning serious.

“I do have a motorcycle, but he’s in the shop now.”

“Oh? He?” Regina asked with a raised eyebrow. Emma nodded and smirked.

“Yes, he is named Hook. Hook’s a BMW.” Emma leaned back and watched as Roni laughed. She couldn’t see how a BMW was funny, but any time that brunette laughed, she could feel herself craving more.

“Your food!” The waiter spoke with a flourish as he placed the grilled cheese in front of Emma whilst placing a salad in front of Roni.

“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a salad Roni. I thought you’d be more of a burger gal.” Emma playfully joked as she laid out her napkin.

“Oh please, you eat like a child, besides I’m the Queen of bars. I’m a _bit_ more refined!” She winked and smirked at Emma. Emma blushed and focused on eating.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. Emma watched the beauty before her and she bit her lip as she began to think.

Regina felt a chill run through her body as she watched Emma’s lip get pulled in by her teeth. She took a sip of her beer and cleared her throat. Their dinner was almost over.

“So, what is the life of a college student slash Bail-bonds person like?” She asked as she leaned forward. The blonde’s eyes dilated slightly, and Regina suppressed the urge to smirk.

“Well, it’s crazy. Every day I’m chasing down some lowlife who failed to pay and then by night I’m reading the textbooks and writing papers.” Emma chuckles and sighs. Should she tell Roni about Henry? The debate is quelled when the bill came. Emma immediately paid for their dinner, not giving a chance for Roni to argue.

“Would you want to accompany me on a walk near the ports? The pirate day should be over, and all should be quiet around there by now.” Roni said with a small blush. Emma smiled and nodded.

“I would love to!” The blonde watched Roni light up and they left the restaurant arm and arm. The two women slid back on the Indian, this time, Emma watched the way the brunette reacted, instead of the town. The blonde felt the way the brunette shifted and moved with the bike as though they were one. All too soon, Roni had parked next to her bug and Emma had to get off.

Regina inwardly sighed at the loss of contact with the blonde. She didn’t know what they were, but they had spent two meals with each other. Something inside of her wanted to keep Emma near her. Especially knowing that she was going to soon be meeting her mother. That very same reason also threatened Regina to want to push her away. For now, though, she would just enjoy the night with the blonde.

And that they did. The two walked along the boardwalk happily talking about simple things. Things like drinks, jobs, and their bikes. They kept their conversation light and let it fall into comfortable silence during times.

Towards the end of the night, Emma had regretfully informed Roni that she needed to get to bed soon so she would be able to get up early for a meeting. Roni hastily agreed, and they headed back to their vehicles. As they stood by the door of Emma’s bug, Emma spoke softly.

“Thank you, Roni.” She smiled gently, loving the way the stars made the chocolate eyes sparkle. She watched Roni’s face light up for the umpteenth time that night and felt the butterflies in her stomach.

“No, thank you Emma. I hope I will see you again before you leave?” Regina nervously asked, fidgeting with her fingers. Her heart leapt as the blonde woman nodded. She didn’t realize how close they were, nor how they were clearly in each other’s personal space. She did notice the blonde lean in and press her lips to her cheek.

Regina closed her eyes, those soft lips were pressed gently on her cheek and my god she couldn’t think. Her breath caught, and she felt tingles where the kiss was as the blonde pulled away.

“Good Night Roni.” Emma spoke softly before getting in her car. The brunette’s heart sunk. Oh, how she wished she could hear her actual name fall from those lips. She didn’t know why she had even said the alias name in the first place. Now she was going to kick herself for such stupidity. Still… it was fun being Roni and letting loose. She laughed and slid on her Indian, allowing it to roar to life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What'd you think? I also am posting this on Wattpad and ill leave a link to my profile on my bio. Feel free to comment there as well if there is specific parts you want to comment on. I also have picture references for the chapters there. Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Next chapter? The mills family finally meets Emma. Are these two girls going to fall for each other? Will Emma learn Roni's true name?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’ll just have to read it this time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAMER: I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OR THE SONGS MENTIONED IN THESE CHAPTERS.  
> I WISH I OWNED THE EAGLES SONGS BUT ALAS I DONT

The next morning, Emma Swan dressed her best and used her fanciest makeup. She slowly walked down the stairs. Her stomach churned with each step. She decided to forgo her breakfast and settled on a to go hot chocolate from Granny. Granny had come up the night before and they had bonded over stories of Ruby. Speaking of… Emma did a quick scan of the diner as she paid for the cup.

“Ruby sleeping in?” The blonde asked and heard the knowing chuckle of Granny.

“Ever a time when she didn’t? I swear that girl runs on wolfs time” Emma laughed agreeing and bowed her head in thanks. She wrapped herself in a sleek black jacket and clutched the hot drink close to her body. She then stepped into her bug and drove towards the docks. The website had a gorgeous view of the docks from the receptionist’s office. She figured from there she would pull out the address. She looked at the clock and smiled at being early for once.

As she drove towards the building, she felt her hand shaking harder than usual. She switched hands on the wheel and clutched the right hand tightly. To calm herself, she began to hum the Eagles song. Emma exhaled and shook her head. Humming wasn’t working. The blonde slowed down and rolled her windows down. She kept looking for the _Emerald Heart’s of Oz Publishing_ sign.

“I got a peaceful… easy feeling…” Emma muttered as her eyes passed over the large building. It looked more like a mansion than anything, and with a sinking feeling in her stomach, she saw the view of the docks. The blonde pulled over and parked on the side of the street. She got out and leaned against the hood of the car. She still had half an hour before she had to go in and the fresh breeze was enough to calm her down. Her right hand slowly began to still its motions.

In the largest conference room of the building, on the top floor of the innovated mansion, Regina Mills sat at the head opposite to her mother. Killian and Zelena sat across from each other. Killian and Regina sat in silence, just listening to the droning talk of endless business plans. The brunette snickered as she watched her sister roll her eyes at some miscommunication between the two and publishing dates.  Killian grins his shit eating grin and turns to Regina. He leans in and quietly mutters,

“Whilst these two lovely ladies bicker about books, tell me about your latest on Scratch?” Regina smirked, and she shook her head.

“He hired Roni. She is going to his bar in New York first for a trial run. If she passes there, Roni will be heading to some small town near Seattle.” Regina grinned. She watched her brother beam with pride and he squeezed her shoulder.

“That’s wonderful news!” Killian whispered slightly. They turned their heads at the sound of a cough and found the two ladies finished with their book trifles. Killian looked at the clock and stood up.

“I am sorry loves, I should return. Milah wanted me back within the hour. We are going to pack up and get ready for a European trip.” He grinned excitedly and kissed his family’s cheeks. Then he was out the door.

There was a second of silence. Right as Cora opened her mouth to continue speaking with the meeting, her secretary opened the door. Regina looked up at the clock which read several minutes before 9. The secretary, Ivy, announced that Emma Swan was here. The two bookish women looked at Regina. They were hoping to hear something on the blonde so that they would catch the upper hand. Regina stood up and sighed.

“I have already told you mother; your clients are not my concern.” The young brunette snapped. Cora nodded and then sighed, pressing a hand to her temple momentarily before setting it back down.

“Bring the woman in please. Ivy. Regina, you are to stay so that you can read this woman. I need to know if she is trustworthy enough to bring aboard.” Regina huffed and shifted in her seat. She was glad that she had dressed like Roni for once in her life. She could see the appeal in dressing so casually. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. Before Emma could walk in, Regina sat up with a start.

“Zelena, Mother. When Emma comes in, let me introduce myself.” She pleaded. The two bookish women shared a strange look and they reluctantly nodded.

Emma’s right hand slightly shook as she placed her glasses on and walked to the front door. She had walked right up to the secretary.

“Uhm… I-I’m Emma Swan… Here for a meeting with Cora Mills?” Emma’s voice quieted with every word. She scratched her neck gently before remembering to stand taller. Ivy nodded and stood up. She walked over to the elevator and motioned for the blonde to follow. The two ride up the elevator in silence. At the end of the hall, the blonde watched as a sailor walked out of some doors. He was whistling an Irish tune as he took the elevator down. Emma decided to hang back a bit, not wanting to be too early. She bit her lip and watched as Ivy walked into the conference room.

There was a minute that passed of pure silence. Most of the other employees showed no signs of noticing the blonde and rushed past her. Emma clutched her manuscript tightly. She thought back to when she first began writing the story with a small smile.

~ _Flashback~_

“Henry! I've got a dragon!” Emma shouted proudly as she ran through the house. She was clutching an egg as if it was her life. Of course, it wasn’t a real dragon, but she sure could make it seem so. Henry rubbed his eyes as he walked out of his room.

“Emma?” He asked and yawned. He hadn’t known that Emma had even left. The young brunet’s eyes widened as he noticed the large egg in the blonde’s arms. He walked closer and grinned.

“How did you get a dragon egg?” He asked excitedly. The two walked into the living room and Henry squealed at the sight of several caring for dragon books and a cauldron sitting on the table in front of the couch.

Emma chuckled and sat down in the living room. She leaned back on the couch and watched Henry put the egg on the couch and start reading. Emma’s mind awoke, and she got the idea of the best story she had thought of. It was a story of a young boy raising magical creatures in a non-magical world.

~ _End Flashback~_

The doors opened, and Ivy walked back through. She smiled quickly before allowing the blonde to walk through the doors. The blonde took a deep breath as her eyes quickly read over each person in that room. Her eyes stopped on Roni, however. Her jaw slightly dropped, and she couldn’t help but stare in shock. She watched as Roni’s eyes lazily swept over her body. The blonde blushed slightly and glanced away before she could see the tip of the brunette’s woman curl upwards.

“Ah. You must be Miss Swan!” Cora reached her hand out and Emma firmly shook it. Emma smiled and adjusted her glasses.

“Yes, Mrs. Mills?” The older woman nodded, and Emma flashed a smile of relief. Cora motioned for the blonde to sit. The blonde did so and allowed the awkward silence in the air continue. She felt intimidated by the women staring at her.

“This is my eldest, Zelena.” Cora spoke coldly. Emma involuntarily shuddered slightly. The woman’s voice seemed to be void of any warmth. The blonde took a moment to read Zelena. The ginger haired woman seemed to be a mix of mischief and wit. The blonde could tell that this woman often made choices with her heart and not her head.

“Nice to meet you.” She leaned forward and shook the ginger haired woman’s hand. And then as she leaned back, she took a deep breath.

“Miss. Swan” Regina purred. She allowed a slight smirk to grace her lips as her eyes lazily watched how the blonde’s body reacted. She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. With a gentle wink that only the blonde would be able to see, she held out a confident hand.

“I’m Roni Mills. My area of expertise lies beyond this office.” The words held double meaning for everyone. Emma’s eyes slightly shifted between the three with a look. Regina knew what that look was. It was the subtle look of awareness. The facial expression perfect for reading people without giving anything away. Regina felt surprise ignite inside of her. _There is more to this blonde than I had originally thought. Either way… I’m going to be screwed._ Regina thought as Cora’s cold voice droned on.

Emma had answered every question honestly. She had spoken when prompted and had mentally checked off every box on the perfect interview actions list. Yet something in her had the blonde sneaking extra glances at Roni with every chance she got. Something was drawing Emma to the brunette. _Fate_ … her entire soul whispered. It had been so loud in her mind that the blonde could have sworn the other women in the room had heard it. She returned her focus back to Cora.

“I’m sorry, could you please repeat the question? I didn’t quite catch it.” Emma gave a small smile and pushed her glasses up her nose.

“Do you have any family back in New York?” Zelena asked. The ginger was chewing on the end of a pen, losing her professionalism slowly second by second. Cora was out for the moment, taking a phone call about one of her publishers. Roni was still there, but rather because she had to be there. The brunette had put her feet up on the desk a while ago.

Emma nodded, picturing Henry’s bright smile. The mere thought of the boy had filled Emma’s whole body with a light, happy feeling.

Regina frowned slightly at the sight of Emma lighting up. The woman’s demeanor had completely changed. The shy woman had disappeared and was replaced by a woman who was proud of her family. Suddenly, the blonde blushed and Regina felt a pang of jealousy ring through her.

“His name is Henry.” She stated and Zelena nodded. The talk of this man was interrupted by mother walking back into the room. Regina sighed and went back to being bored. The meeting ended shortly after, allowing the brunette to slip out of the building. She stood outside, watching some birds fly across the sky.

 

Emma finished putting her coat on and left after bidding her publishers farewell. She left confidently with her shoulders back. She smiled at the receptionist and then walked outside. Fresh air rushed over the blonde, and she could feel her muscles loosening up slightly. The blonde walked over to where her car sat and decided to lean against the side of the hug.

 “Miss. Swan, how nice to see you again” Regina spoke kindly with a hint of teasing as she walked up to the blonde. She had watched the woman walk to her car and something inside the brunette had been pulling her to the blonde. She stuck her hands in her jeans pockets and stopped several feet short of the blonde.

“You as well Roni” Emma replied with a shit-eating grin. It caused Roni to let out a soft chuckle. They stood in silence for a few minutes before Roni sighed. She looked down at her converse and then back to the blonde with a sincere expression.

“Would you be willing to do dinner tonight?” Roni shifted from one foot to the next and Emma bit her lip to hide a smile. She thought of what she would really be doing and then sighed.

“Not tonight, unfortunately. Henry has a match and I promised I’d find a way to watch.” Emma watched as Roni deflated slightly and without realizing it, words were coming out of her mouth,

“But maybe Friday? Ill be free then.” Regina nodded and took her hands out of her jeans.

“Friday then, I’ll see you then Em-ma.” She winked and began to walk over to where her precious Indian was parked. With out looking back, she could feel Emma’s eyes on her. She swung her leg over and started the bike. Her head disappeared under the bike helmet and she pulled out of the parking lot.

Emma turned back to her car and quickly got in. She decided to work on her other story whilst waiting for everything to be taken care of. As the evening neared, the blonde decided to finally leave her room and walked down to the diner to chat with Ruby. She had settled on sweats and a white tank top. Ruby had told Emma all about her plans to surprise Belle with as soon as the woman got there. She could only smile at the thought of the two running the library together. Emma had watched as passion erupted from the lanky brunette’s eyes. Her whole body twitched in excitement and she could already see how Belle was the perfect woman for Ruby.

When she glanced up at the clock, she realized with a start that she had missed the match. It was now 9 o’clock and she had missed Henry’s match. She called Belle as she rushed up the stairs. The call connected on the second ring.

 _“Hello?”_ Belle’s voice came over the phone sounding exhausted.

“Hey Belle! How is it going over there?” Emma asked. She fiddled with her thumbs as she heard the Australian accent huff.

“Henry didn’t go to his match.”

The blonde froze in shock, listening to the echo of the words.

_Something was off with him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry for the length. Honestly it could be longer, but I'm having trouble finding my muse at the moment. Also! Just so you know, there is about a 48 hour difference of when I post my story on here from when I've posted on Wattpad. Please go there for a better chance of getting a new update! Also, I am sorry for the length in between the story but I'm not giving up on it! My wattpad is in my bio if you want it. Let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its short, ive been sick and busy and haven't had the time to write more, but there is a part two coming up soon! This is basically a filler for now.

Emma woke up with a blinding headache. She had spent most of the night trying to figure out why Henry was pulling away from her. He hadn’t said anything to her about not wanting to go. They had shared excitement about the match and it wasn’t making any sense. She had gotten very little sleep and ended up tossing and turning in the scratchy hotel bed. As soon as Emma felt the sun on her face, she threw the blankets off, stepped into a pair of sweats and a hoodie, and jogged downstairs. She ordered a coffee to go and sat by the jukebox as she waited. The electronic hum along with the smells of breakfast soon had Emma in a zone. The blonde stared lazily at the mundane items on the counter.

~ _Flashback~_

Emma leaned back in her chair, more than happy to take a break from her menial desk job. She looked over to the clock and sighed. It was time to go anyway. The filing could wait another day to be completed. The blonde walked over to her locker and took out her backpack. She placed her work jacket in the locker before heading out and shutting off the lights. She walked out to the parking lot to find Belle and Henry sitting in Belle’s old Mustang. Emma smirked at the faded paint job. The infamous chipped yellow mustang had been the car of that woman’s dream. She even went as far as to name it Chip. As she climbed in, Henry asked if they could go shopping at the store. Both women complied, and they happily went to the nearest super store. Henry had entertained the lovely ladies throughout the entire time of shopping. As they walked out of the store, Belle and Emma started grabbing bags from the cart.

“Ill go put the Cart away” Henry proudly puffed out his chest and Emma didn’t have the heart to tell him no. Emma and Belle walked back to Chip and put the bags in the back seat. By now it was dark, and Emma couldn’t shake an odd feeling. They pulled up to the front to find out where Henry was.

He was no where to be found. Emma instantly jumped out and ran to where the carts were. She looked around everywhere, her heart constricting painfully in her chest. Several seconds after, she realizes he is nowhere to be found. She pushes through the nausea that is slowly overtaking her and forces herself to take a deep breath. As if by magic, she spots him by the parking lot. Emma ignores everything else and runs after him. The closer she gets, she can hear him sobbing. Anger replaces fear. _NO one messes with him._

As she nears a dark SUV, she sees him being shoved in the car. A hand quickly going over his mouth and blocks his cries. She can’t hear him, but she can see him. For some reason, she jumps in the front seat of the car and tries to get him unbuckled. The person who did this, the hand over his mouth was now gone.

Her body feels weird, she can’t figure out why her limbs aren’t moving very well. She stares at her arm, trying to get it to move and that is when she pieces it together. She is drugged with something. She can’t fight back. Helplessly, she watches a person sit in the car with a hood over their head. They stare at the blonde for a few seconds, allowing the guilt and the heaviness of failure sink in her gut. Henry begins to cry again, a quiet weep.

Emma sat up and ran to the bathroom. She hurled up everything that had been in her stomach, her body rocking with each heave. She moaned and flushed the toilet, allowing her body to sink back onto the cool tiles. The blonde shivered slightly, and she closed her eyes. It was always that same nightmare. She was _always_ helpless against that figure. She jumped up with a new source of energy and ran to Henry’s room. She quietly opened the door and peeked inside. The young boy’s eyes were shut, his mouth was slightly open, and he seemed to ball his comforter on his right side. The blonde’s heart fluttered at the sight and she walked back to her room.

She sat at her desk, fiddling with a pen. She opened her computer and thought for a second before quickly typing in ‘9MM PISTOL’ in the search engine. _I’m getting a gun, so I can defend him._ Emma thought as she looked at endless choices of guns.

_~End Flashback~_

              Regina awoke from a restful night and grinned as she slipped into her running attire. She plugged her earbuds into her iPod and began her morning run. The beat of the music pushed her harder and faster. She found herself nodding along and running without a care in the world. Her destination was the same, just like always. She slowed and turned the volume down as she neared her spot. It was there that she saw Ruby sitting next to a pole and watching the sun rise with dead eyes.

“Ruby? Are you okay?” The brunette asked as she neared cautiously. Ruby looked at Regina and scoffed before looking back at the sunrise.

“Ill be fine. I know that this is your spot, Ill be quiet and let you have your moments of silence alone.” She stood up and began to walk further into the woods. Regina frowned and took a moment to question the wolfish lanky girl. Regina watched the sun rise, now slightly troubled due to the odd behavior she had seen earlier. The brunette became restless and decided to cut her visit short that morning. She ran back to town, listening to some classic rock on her iPod. As she neared Granny’s, the brunette decided to stop in and check on Granny. She wanted to know the reason behind Ruby’s odd behavior.

As Regina stepped inside, she did a quick survey of who was here. She saw most of the usual customers. Her mind focused on a certain blonde, hugging the wall. The blonde looked worse than the wolfish girl. Her blonde hair was tucked behind her ear and still in it’s morning knots. The crumpled hoodie seemed to pool around her and the brunette realized that it was a comfort item.

The blonde’s fingers were absentmindedly fiddling with the plastic to-go lid of a cup that no longer steamed. An unshed tear was threatening to spill over. Emma hadn’t blinked in a while, and by her shallow breathing, the brunette assumed that it wasn’t going to happen for a while. The blonde was slouched and leaning heavily against the wall, as if it was the only thing keeping her up.

Regina shook her head and walked back out of the diner, losing her appetite. She ran home where she stripped out of her running clothes and stepped into the warm confines of her shower. She closed her eyes and let the hot water cascade over her body. She had a simple day of paperwork in the office ahead of her and she was ready for that.

Emma shook her head at the sound of the bell chiming. She looked over to the door in time to see Roni leave, running out of the door. Emma’s eyes widened and then she frowned. Why hadn’t the brunette come over? The blonde decided to return to the safety of her room. She shut the door and stared at her luggage. Her mind was racing,

Henry would be coming up tonight. Belle and Henry would be in this small town with her. She was going to have dinner with Roni tonight a couple hours beforehand. She had to get back to her usual self. The careless, free, yet cautious persona she had worked so hard to create.

Emma quickly took a shower, forgoing the soothing feelings of the warm water, and dressed tactically. She had brought her gun with her and was thankful that she had looked up a nearby range before coming up.  She walked out to her car and drove over to Robin Hood’s Range.

Regina sat in her office chair, savoring the last few times she would be able to sit in here before business took her to New York. She looked at the piles of paperwork on her desk and sighed. Was this truly what her life was now? Signatures on papers detailing how she and her fellow employees saved financial lives of so many? They hadn’t worked on anything counter intel for a while and it was killing her. Scratch was the only exciting case and even then, Regina had a strong feeling as to how it was going to end. Kathryn knocked on the brunette’s door and walked in.

“Reg, you’ve been holed up in your office since you came in. You alright?”

“I’m fine dear. I’ve just been finishing paperwork before I leave for NYC.”

“Well that’s all fine and dandy, but I’ve got a better idea. Leave your boring stuff to me and go to the range with me for a while. Robin said he was slow today and we could have the range for half price.” Kat smirked as she walked up to the desk and shut all the folders on Regina’s desk. She watched an exasperated look cross the brunette’s face and the pen the woman held fell harshly onto the desk.

Regina stood up abruptly and sighed. She knew it would be a while until she could do this again. “Alright.” The brunette hesitantly replied.

The two women walked in the range a half an hour later with their range bags ready. They stifled their chuckles as they saw the owner sitting back in his chair staring at his phone. That was until the gun shots fell silent and Robin sat up. He was staring at his phone in astonishment and confusion.

“What’s up archer? Realize that you still have another 8 hours of this day left?” Kathryn asked as Regina walked around the mini shop, looking at the new products that had come in. Regina didn’t hear a reply. She frowned and walked back over to where the two were now hotly whispering. She got close enough to hear Kathryn’s response.

“Regina is going to be pissed...”

“Pissed about what?” the brunette asked as she continued her approach. She hopped up on the counter and looked over to Robin. He shook his head and frowned, going over to the board where her name was written. Regina’s name was next to the top five for the fastest time for the simulation. But now, he was erasing top one and leaving a confused brunette sitting on the counter.

Without a second thought, she walked into the simulation room and shut the door behind her, ready to intimidate the crap out of whomever beat her running time. What she saw when she shut the door, however made her gasp in shock.

Emma had been at the range all day. She had been running through the petty simulation and she continued to place faces from her nightmares on the targets. She was getting faster now, but to her it wasn’t enough. She was taking a moment’s break, chugging water from a bottle and reloading her magazines when someone opened the door behind her.

Immediately the blonde turned around and her eyes widened as she saw Roni standing there. The blonde’s eyes widened, and her mouth opened and shut as if she were imitating a fish out of water.

“Emma, are you alright? You seem pale. How long have you been in this room?” Regina asked as she took off her jacket. The brunette walked closer to Emma who had seemed to gather her thoughts a bit.

“A few hours” Emma chuckled softly and scratched her neck. Roni smiled and then pulled out her Ruger. “Pretty impressive for a couple of hours. Do you think you can show me that run?” Emma smirked, knowing all too well how she had just beaten some woman’s record. If Roni wanted in on the secret, she’d happily share. The blonde nodded and shifted personalities.

“ROBIN START IT UP AGAIN” Regina yelled through the door, slamming it shut before she had to hear his smart ass reply to her.

The two ran through the simulation several times, and each time Regina couldn’t stop noticing the blonde’s muscles. It was a silly thing to say truly, but Emma’s biceps flexed, and she could imagine the abs on the blonde even without the aid of a loose-fitting tee shirt.

At the end of their simulation run, Emma smirked and pulled Roni up off the bench.

“Well I’d say you shoot straight, but then again, I’d be wrong.” Roni shook her head and chuckled.

“Seeing as how we are going on a date tonight Swan, I don’t think straightness is any of my concern. Oh, that reminds me. Ill see you at 7?” Regina asked, drawing her bottom lip in between her teeth. She watched Emma’s mouth slightly open and her head nod. With a slight sway in her walk, the brunette walked out of the room and over to her friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Its short, I know, but it'll get longer!


End file.
